Remember freezing February at election time

By Tom "Smitty" Smith for the Dallas Morning News 

Opinion piece urges consumers to hold officials accountable for failure to require power plant weatherization.

Read Smitty's op-ed.

TPJ & Commission Shift Release 2nd 'Captive Agency' Report

The second in a series of reports called Captive Agency exposes deep conflicts among Texas Railroad Commissioners.  The latest report reveals that two thirds of the three current commissioners' campaign war chests were provided by the oil and gas industry.  The report takes a deep dive into Commission Chair Wayne Christian’s personal financial statements revealing potential conflicts of interest. The report also details campaign contributions received by the commissioners while deciding particular cases.

The Captive Agency reports propose a number of pro-consumer reforms.

 

Captive Agency: Report Details Conflicts at Railroad Commission

A report prepared by Texans for Public Justice and Commission Shift examines personal financial statements from the three railroad commissioners and exposes ties to the industry they regulate.

First in a series, the report reveals systemic problems with the railroad commission’s conflict of interest policies that allow commissioners to profit from the companies that they oversee.

Drill down into the Captive Agency report here.

The Top Dogs: 196 Donors Gave $259 Million in 2020 State Elections

Texas’s top 196 individual and institutional political contributors collectively sunk $259 million into the state’s two-year 2020 election cycle, equivalent to 90 percent of the $289 million that candidates for Texas public offices raised in that period, according to Texas Ethics Commission data. These top contributors gave anywhere from $350,000 to $17 million apiece.

See the list of the 196 Texas Top Dogs.

Justice For Some: Texas Observer/KXAN Investigate Corruption Prosecutions in Texas

Texas Observer leads investigation into a system that fails to hold elected officials accountable.

Read Lise Olsen's report at the Observer.

ERCOT's Board Gave Heavily to House Members

As the Texas House investigates the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Lobby Watch finds that powerful energy interests seated on ERCOT’s board gave heavily to House members. Is a House that receives $700,000 in ERCOT-related mortgage payments more forgiving of catastrophic blackouts?

 

Read the new Lobby Watch.

The Old Green Deal: Oil & Gas Industry Abbott's Top Political Donor

Following Gov. Abbott's attempts to blame recent catastrophic power failures on renewable energy, TPJ finds that the oil and gas industry is Abbott's No. 1 contributor. It supplied 19 percent of the $87.3 million that Abbott raised since January 2017. Electric utility interests contributed more than $1 million more, with contributors who specialize in renewable power supplying just a trickle of that money.

Track this fundraising grid at the new Lobby Watch.

TPJ & Sierra Club Investigate Oil and Gas Industry Clout

TPJ is engaged in a joint research project with the Sierra Club’s Lone Star Chapter to explore oil & gas industry influence in Texas.  The organizations will publish a series of major reports to document and expose the political clout of Texas oil and gas interests on our elected legislators, regulators and statewide officials.  The reports will be published in the Spring.

Who Does John Cornyn Work For?

The Texas Observer's Justin Miller takes a
deep dive into Senator John Cornyn.

Read Miller's article at the Texas Observer.

Paxton Criminal Trial Lingers (again).

 From the TexasTribune:

Texas AG Ken Paxton's criminal case likely to face further delays as attorneys revive fights over venue, prosecutor pay

 Read the article by the Tribune's Emma Platoff.